The Demon Lords-Chapter 754 - 166 Lord Pingye_3

My Ah Daddy and I even thought about stopping her. If we'd really managed to stop her, wouldn't we have delayed our own sister's great opportunity? Ah Daddy, this isn't a case of our family's cabbage being inexplicably snatched by a pig from our vegetable patch. It's clearly our cabbage actively choosing a dummy son-in-law!

"Gentlemen, this way, please." Wei Zhonghe politely made an inviting gesture.

He Sisi nodded and gave a slight curtsy to Wei Zhonghe.

He Chu, however, was in a bit of a daze. He instinctively reached into his sleeve and pulled out a piece of broken silver, just as his Ah Daddy had instructed him before they entered the capital. It was similar to when he ran a pork stall. If patrolling officers or members of noble households came to buy meat, one was always expected to show some courtesy; the principle was the same.

Wei Zhonghe naturally saw this and simply waited.

Who would have thought that He Chu's hands trembled so much that some copper coins and pieces of broken silver scattered onto the ground?

"AH!" He Chu exclaimed in fright.

Seeing this, Wei Zhonghe quickly said, "Thank you for your reward, Lord He. What are you waiting for? Pick them up."

As he spoke, Wei Zhonghe himself bent over to pick up a small piece of broken silver. Instantly, the eunuchs behind Wei Zhonghe scrambled to pick up the coins, repeatedly thanking him for the reward.

He Chu, the butcher, could only cup his fists in response.

"Lord He, let's go. This servant invites you for tea and some refreshments."

"Thank you, sir. Oh no, thank you, Eunuch."

"Lord He, you're too kind. This servant will also instruct you on some points of etiquette for your audience with His Majesty later..."

THUMP!

When he heard he was to meet His Majesty, He Chu was so frightened he immediately dropped to his knees.

Dear Ah Daddy, your son is about to meet His Majesty!

...

Unlike the bustling social intricacies of the outside world, it was quiet inside.

When Ji Chengjue walked along the path to the entrance of the Imperial Study, he paused for a moment. Evidently, this area had been deliberately cleared of other people; not even a junior eunuch could be seen inside.

However, just as Ji Chengjue stepped forward, preparing to face the exclusive confrontation he anticipated with his old man, he saw a familiar figure in a violet-red dragon robe sitting in a subordinate seat.

It was the Crown Prince.

And his own father was seated in the uppermost seat. Both were reviewing memorials.

Seeing this, Ji Chengjue felt no particular stirrings in his heart, only a sense of amusement. This scene truly does resemble the Royal Family. As for why it was amusing... Heh. Surely that's better than wanting to cry?

When Ji Chengjue entered, the Crown Prince was the first to look up. His face lit up with apparent delight as he stood and walked over. "Sixth Brother, you've recovered from your illness! You had me worried sick, Brother."

Ji Chengjue immediately took a step back and first kowtowed to his father seated above. "Your son pays his respects to Father Emperor."

Then, he turned and bowed to the Crown Prince. "My respects to the Crown Prince!"

"Rise quickly, rise quickly! We are brothers, bound by blood. How can we be so distant?"

The Crown Prince moved to help him up, and Ji Chengjue rose smoothly with his assistance.

In truth, Ji Chengjue disliked acting in such dramas; he felt it was a waste of time. His Second Prince had people watching him in Nan'an City, so what surprise could there be about his recovery? Brotherly affection, comradely respect—all this pretense, what was the point of it all? As if our father, a man known for his cold nature, actually derived pleasure from watching us brothers engage in such displays of cloying affection.

The Yan Emperor looked up at Ji Chengjue but said nothing.

Ji Chengjue stood facing the Yan Emperor, his head slightly bowed. His gaze was fixed on the floor tiles beneath his feet. The Imperial Study. He was back in the Imperial Study again.

Ji Chengjue also knew clearly. To put it bluntly, why was he summoned to stand here? The He family's daughter-in-law was just a pretext. Master Zhang had merely made some arrangements, providing a convenient excuse. After all, he knew his father was inherently cold-hearted, yet possessed an exceptionally proud spirit. The true reason he was summoned? Nothing else. Money and grain!

An unplanned war against the wild people had completely emptied the seemingly vast Great Yan. The soldiers were exhausted, and the national treasury was depleted. The devastated lands of the Three Jin could now only be drained for resources; no substantial returns could be reaped from them. Great Yan's apparently flourishing national strength was, in truth, already showing signs of being strong outwardly but weak within.

What was his father's ultimate goal? To conquer the State of Qian! He was determined to eliminate this true adversary. This was his father's long-cherished wish. He wanted to accomplish in his own lifetime what several generations had striven for, to leave a stable Jiangshan for future generations and for the Yan State. But with a lack of money and grain, this war could not continue.

And so, his own usefulness came to his father's mind. Moreover, since his businesses were transferred to the Ministry of Revenue, their income had decreased year after year. He was certain his father knew this as well.

Having served as a bailiff in Nan'an City for half a year, Ji Chengjue had gained firsthand understanding of the common people's conditions. Great Yan itself had no critical issues for now, but the depletion of its national strength due to the war was already manifesting ominous signs.

The most important point was the power vacuum created after the campaign that trampled the great clans. The imperial court had indeed grown fat from this windfall, possessing the money, grain, and confidence to wage several major wars consecutively. However, everything that exists does so for a reason. While the great clans had significantly curtailed centralized imperial power, their role in the development and administration of local economies, culture, and social affairs was, in fact, far superior to that of the government officials. It was self-evident who would be more diligent: someone managing their own domain versus someone managing public land. Furthermore, the extensive conscription of labor had also depleted the strength of the common folk in many regions.